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W. Brantley  Phillips, Jr.
Member
Nashville
P:(615) 742-7723
F:(615) 742-2842
E-mail W. Brantley Phillips
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Education
Washington & Lee University - J.D., 1997
Duke University - M.P.P., 1997
Birmingham Southern College - B.A., 1991

Court Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court, 2002
U.S. Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit, 2001
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 2001
U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee, 2001
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, 1999

Bar Admissions
Tennessee, 1998

Memberships
Tennessee and American Bar Associations

Honors & Distinctions
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, Benchmark Litigation "Future Stars” and Nashville Business Journal’s Best of the Bar
Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law, 2006
Harry Phillips American Inn of Court, Barrister
Senior Articles Editor, Washington & Lee Law Review, 1996-1997
Law Clerk to Hon. William M. Acker, Jr., U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama, 1997-1998
Phi Beta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa

Publications
Tennessee Law Chapter, Lobbying, PACs and Campaign Finance: 50 State Handbook (Thompson/West publishing)



Brant is a Member of the firm's Litigation and Government Advocacy Practice Areas. In addition to complex business litigation, including securities and shareholder class action defense, derivative actions and business fraud, Brant's practice includes regular work in various administrative and regulatory proceedings. Brant is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for administrative law and the Nashville Business Journal’s Best of the Bar (2008).

Brant's recent experience includes:
  • Trial counsel for Genesco Inc. in $1.3 billion breach of contract action against The Finish Line, Inc. relating to the scope of a material adverse effect (MAE) clause;
  • Counsel to Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Inc. in shareholder litigation relating to $1.4 billion going-private transaction;
  • Co-counsel to HCA Inc. in shareholder litigation relating to $33 billion going-private transaction;
  • Counsel to Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries in multiple derivative cases and ERISA class actions relating to fund investments in mortgage-backed securities;
  • Counsel to Tennessee agricultural cooperative in $50 million shareholder derivative case;
  • Counsel to Tennessee electric cooperatives in various corporate governance, eminent domain and business litigation matters, including work reported in City of Cookeville v. Upper Cumberland EMC, 484 F.3d 380 (6th Cir. 2007).

Brant graduated magna cum laude from Birmingham-Southern College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board. He received his law degree, cum laude, from Washington & Lee University School of Law. Brant also holds a master's degree in public policy from Duke University, where his work centered on state and local government issues. Prior to joining the firm in 1998, Brant served as a law clerk to Judge William M. Acker, Jr., on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

In addition to his litigation practice, Brant regularly advises firm clients on state and federal campaign finance and ethics law issues. Brant is the author of the chapter on Tennessee law found in Lobbying, PACs and Campaign Finance: 50 State Handbook (Thomson/West Publishing) and he makes presentations to corporate and community groups on the subject.

Brant is a member of the Tennessee and American Bar Associations, and he served as the chair of the TBA's Federal Practice Section in 2007-08. His community involvement includes service with the Young Leaders Council, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, the Alcohol & Drug Council of Middle Tennessee and the "Room in the Inn" homelessness relief program. Brant also is active in state and local politics and served as chief legal counsel to the Tennessee Democratic Party in 2007-08.